The Great Distraction

Trump is many things, but he is not an idiot…so we do we buy him playing the fool?

“Gaza…we just need to clear it out, build some very nice resorts…it’ll be like the Riviera! We’ll make a deal, make a whole lot of money, make America rich, as we will when we take over Greenland and Panama.”

It’s bluster. Trump—especially after being president for four years—knows the way the world works, has some grasp about the Middle East. That Denmark—a member of NATO—is not going to just let Greenland go. He knows there will be a lot of resistance to these things, resistance that even he can’t ignore…

So, why is he saying such ridiculous things?

Does it have to do with the fact that we have a non-elected foreign national multi-billionaire who has deep access into the treasury? A person who has already disemboweled a sixty year old worldwide aid program? That is what we see, who knows what else is in the works, what executive orders are being drafted. What other completely unqualified people are being put into positions of power?

But…no, don’t focus on that, be outraged about his comments about Gaza and threats of tariffs (admittedly bad, and within the rhelm of possibility…unlike a bunch of Trump casinos in Gaza).

I am deeply concerned and yet—as someone who finds history fascinating—transfixed by all this. We have had corrupt people in power in the past—the presidencies of Harding and Grant come to mind—but nothing like this. This is a whole different animal, a whole new beast, and we need new means of overcoming this beast. Protest on the street? Write a letter to your congressperson? This isn’t 1968, we don’t have a Vietnam War to rail against; a war is relatively easy to stop and public opinion largely did that.You get out there on the street and the press and MAGA will dismiss you as a “A bunch of woke, unwashed radical Marxists who want to give children sex changes.” Write your “representative”? Well, either your rep is an ineffectual Democrat who is mouthing words and wringing their hands with no idea what to do…or they’re part of MAGA.

The key, as I have said many times, involves money. Money is the lifeblood of these creatures. To really change things we would have to make sacrifices I am not sure many of us would be willing to make: Cut up your major bank credit cards. No more Amazon/Whole Foods. Cut gasoline usage by fifty percent. On and on and on. No more Twitter or X, finding social media outlets that don’t bend the knee to Trump. Sacrifices. Big sacrifices.

It is irresponsible for Trump to proclaim the things he is proclaiming, especially when the people of Gaza have already suffered so much. I do believe, honestly, it is all hot air, a distraction. There’s also ego, he knows it will keep his name in the press, but I do believe he is savvy enough to understand that everything he is saying about Gaza and Greenland is unfeasible. Panama? Not sure. Don’t be distracted, though, and for fucks sake don’t drive yourself nuts doomscrolling. Don’t believe every “news story” even if you want to, don’t believe anything in the press until you’ve seen it in at least a few sources.

May you live in interesting times, indeed...